Reminds us of: Mile-a-minute, reference-heavy comedies like Airplane and Scary Movie, with a dash of Rocky Horror and a pinch of social commentary
Flop, Fine or Fringe-tastic? Between fine and Fringe-tastic.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane…it’s Amelia Earhart kidnapped by aliens and trapped on Neptune? In case the title left any doubt, this show’s intentions are comedic, intentionally absurd, and frequently successful. A limber cast juggles multiple roles, costume changes, fourth-wall shattering, and plentiful splattering, courtesy of an escalating series of water-based gags targeted at a portion of the audience labeled the “splash zone.” (Don’t worry — theater staff eagerly provides ponchos and warns you long before you’re at risk of a surprise soaking.) Despite its absurd trappings, the plot contains several genuinely surprising twists, and it burns through jokes and gags so quickly that you’re never at risk of boredom.
Some of the show’s references land harder than others, relying on the audience’s knowledge of small details from pop culture artifacts like Back to the Future, Peanuts, and Les Miserables. The lightning-fast banter and outrageous characters make up for any possible points of pop culture ignorance, though. Earhart herself is played with poise and sardonic wit by Aria Velz. A foulmouthed Sally Ride (don’t ask me to explain) is a particular highlight, as is a running gag about poor forgotten Fred Noonan, Earhart’s co-pilot on her fated final mission across the Pacific. I grew weary of the squeaky Jub-Jub aliens as the show winds towards its climax, and the humor loses a bit of steam in the final third. But even with those flaws, this show has charm for days, and injects a spirit of gleeful anarchy into nearly every scene. If the actual explanation for Earhart’s disappearance ever comes out, it will be a sore disappointment by comparison.
Amelia Earhart…IN SPACE! is playing at the Logan Fringe Arts Space on July 12 at 8:30 p.m., July 15 at 10:15 p.m., July 16 at 12:30 p.m., July 17 at 7:45 p.m. and July 23 at 7:45 p.m.
See here for more of DCist’s Capital Fringe 2016 reviews.
